Retrievable well packer



T. ELLIST ON RETRIEVABLE WELL PACKER May 28, 1968 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 FiledJan. 6, 1966 y 8, 968 T. L. ELLISTON 3,385,366

RETRIEVABLE WELL PAGKER Filed Jan. 6, 1966 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORThomas L. Elliston Q'EKIII/ Fig 5 BY $44 w/ ym May 28, 1968 T. 1..ELLISTON RETRIEVABLE WELL PACKER 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Jan. 6, 1966Fig.6

INVENTOR homes L.Ellisron BY Wmm United States Patent 3,385,366RETRIEVABLE WELL PACKER Thomas L. Elliston, Dallas, Tex., assignor toOtis Engineering Corporation, Dallas, Tex., a corporation of DelawareFiled Jan. 6, 1966, Ser. No. 519,091 14 Claims. (Cl. 166-134) ABSTRACTOF THE DISCLGSURE A well packer having an outer sleeve or mandrelprovided with anchoring and sealing means movable to anchoring andsealing engagement with a well casing and an inner tubular mandrelslidable in said outer sleeve in sealing relationship therewith afterthe outer sleeve has been anchored in sealing position, said innermandrel having means for adjusting the seal means between the outersleeve and the inner mandrel without removing the packer from the well.

This invention relates to well tools and more particularly to wellpackers.

An object of this invention is to provide a well packer for sealingbetween an inner flow conductor, such as a string of tubing telescoped,in an outer flow conductor, such as a well casing, which permitslongitudinal movement of the string of tubing relative to the casingwhile sealing therebetween to accommodate changes in the length of thestring of tubing due to temperature changes.

Another object is to provide a well packer having a tubular elongatemandrel, connectable in a string of tubing to constitute a sectionthereof, a main sleeve mounted on the main mandrel having anchoring andsealing therebetween to accommodate changes in the gagement with thewell casing to anchor the main sleeve to the casing and to prevent fluidflow between the main sleeve and the well casing, upon predeterminedlongitudinal movement of the mandrel relative to the main sleeve,andseal means for sealing between the main sleeve and the mandrelwherein the main mandrel is movable longitudinally relative to the mainsleeve after the anchoring and sealing means have been expanded.

Still another object is to provide a well packer of the type describedwhere the mandrel and the main sleeve are provided with means forincreasing the compression of the seal means by predeterminedlongitudinal and rotational movement of the mandrel relative to the mainsleeve whereby any wear of the seal means due to movement of the mandrelthrough the main sleeve may be compensated for.

Another object is to provide a well packer of the type described whereinthe packer is provided with means for releasing the anchoring andsealing means from anchoring and sealing engagement with the well casingto permit removal of the packer from the well casing.

Additional objects and advantages of the invention will be readilyapparent from the reading of the following description of a deviceconstructed in accordance with the invention, and reference to theaccompanying drawings thereof, wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a vertically, partly sectional view of the upper portions ofthe well packer embodying the invention showing the well packer inposition for running into a well casing;

FIGURE l-A is a view similar to FIGURE 1, being a continuation thereof,showing a middle portion of the well packer;

FIGURE 1-3 is a view similar to FIGURE 1-A, being a continuation thereofshowing the lower portion of the well packer;

"a continuation thereof, showing the lower portions of the 3,385,366Patented May 28, 1968 FIGURE 2 is a sectional view 'taken on line 2-2 ofFIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a sectional view taken on line 33 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 4 is a sectional view taken on line 44 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 5 is a sectional view taken on line 5-5 of FIGURE l-A;

FIGURE 6 is a sectional view taken on line 66 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 7 is a fragmentary planar developmental View of the mandrel ofthe well packer showing the external J-slots thereof;

FIGURE 8 is a vertical partly sectional view of the upper portions ofthe well packer showing the anchoring and sealing means of the mainsleeve in expanded and anchoring engagement with a well casing prior tothe upward movement of the mandrel to its intermediate op erativeposition relative to the main sleeve;

FIGURE 8A is a vertical partly sectional view, with some parts brokenaway, showing the middle portions of the packer and is a continuation ofFIGURE 8;

FIGURE 8-B is a view similar to the FIGURE 8-A, being a continuationthereof, showing the lower portions of the packer;

FIGURE 9 is a vertical view of the upper portions of the well packerwith the elements of the packer in the positions assumed thereby duringthe removal of the packer from the well; and,

FIGURE 9-A is a view similar to FIGURE 9, being packer.

Referring now to the drawings, the packer 20 embodying the inventionincludes a tubular mandrel 21 having a top or latch section 22, a middlesection 23 and a bottom or clutch section 24. The mandrel is connectablein a string of tubing to constitute a section thereof, the upper endportion 26 of the bore of the top mandrel section being enlarged andthreaded to receive the lower threaded end portion of an upper tubingsection 27 and the lower reduced end portion 28 of the bottom mandrelsection being externally threaded for connection in the internallythreaded top end portion of a lower tubing section 29. The upper endportion of the middle mandrel section is threaded, as at 31, in thelower end of the top mandrel section and its lower end portion isthreaded, as at 32, in the upper end of the bottom mandrel section.

A tubular main sleeve disposed on the mandrel includes a top latchsection 36 having an internal annular stop shoulder 37 engageable withthe downwardly facing external annular shoulder 38 of the top mandrelsection 22 to limit upward movement of the main sleeve on the mandrel.Upward movement of the mandrel relative to the main sleeve is limited bythe engagement of its external annular upwardly facing shoulder 40 withthe bottom end surface of a retainer ring 41 and releasably secured inthe upper end of the latch sleeve section 36 by a plurality of shearscrews 42 which extend through threaded bores 43 of the latch sleevesection into radial apertures 47 of the retainer ring. The shear screwswill shear to permit upward movement of the retainer ring when apredetermined upward force is' exerted on the mandrel while the mainsleeve is held against upward movement.

Rotational and upward longitudinal movement of the mandrel relative tothe main sleeve after the shear screws 42 have been sheared iscontrolled by the engagement of three circumferentially spaced inwardlyextending lugs 50 of the latch sleeve section with the surfaces of thetop mandrel section defining external circumferentially spaced J-slots51 thereof. The lugs are welded in suitable apertures of the latchsleeve section. counterclockwise rotation of the mandrel relative to themain sleeve, FIGURE 3, when the lugs are in the upper horizontal legportions 52 of the J-slots is limited by the engagement of their sidesurfaces 53 with the vertical surfaces 54 of the top mandrel sectiondefining the ends of the longitudinal leg portions of the J-slots.Clockwise rotation of the mandrel relative to the main sleeve is limitedby the engagement of the opposite side surfaces 55 of the lugs with thevertical surfaces 56 of the main sleeve which with its vertical surfaces57 define the vertical downwardly opening leg portions 58 of theJ-slots. When the lugs are in the horizontal leg portions 52 of theJ-slots, as illustrated in FIGURES 1 and 3, upward movement of themandrel relative to the main sleeve is limited by the engagement of thehorizontal surfaces 59 defining the lower ends of the horizontal legportions of the J-slots with the bottom surfaces 60 of the lugs. Themandrel is movable upwardly relative to the main sleeve when it isrotated in a clockwise direction to position the vertical leg portions58 of its slots in vertical alignment with the lugs 50.

A slip assembly 62 mounted on the main sleeve includes a tubular slipcarrier 63 whose upper end portion 64 of enlarged bore is threaded onthe intermediate externally threaded portion 65 of the latch sleevesection 36. The slip carrier has a plurality of longitudinalcircumferentially spaced downwardly opening slots 66 into which extendthe shanks 67 of the slips 68 supported by the slip carrier. The slipcarrier has an internal annular recess 70, which opens outwardly to thelongitudinal slots 66, in which are disposed the horizontal oppositelyextending retainer lugs 71 at the upper ends of the slip shanks. Theretainer lugs are engageable with the internal surface 73 of the slipcarrier at opposite sides of the Ion? gitudinal slots to limit outwardmovement of the upper end portion of the shanks. The bottom surfaces 75of the retainer lugs are engageable with the upwardly facing annularshoulder 76 of the slip carrier defining the lower end of its internalrecess to limit downward movement of the slips therein. U ward movementof the slips is limited by the engagement of the top end surfaces 78 ofthe shanks with the downwardly facing shoulder 79 of the slip carrierdefining the upper end of the internal recess 70. The top ends of thelugs are provided with internal bosses 80 which are engageable with theouter surface of the middle main sleeve section 82. The lower ends ofthe slips are held in their inner retracted positions illustrated in theFIGURE 1 when the slip carrier is in the upper position as the mainsleeve illustrated in FIGURE 1 by drag springs 84 which extend throughthe longitudinal slots 66 of the slip carrier. The upper end portions ofthe spring are secured to the slip carrier by screws 84 and their lowerportions extend into the longitudinal external slots 85 of the slips.The drag springs 84 have middle arcuate portions 86 which extendoutwardly of the outer surface of the slip carrier to engage theinternal surfaces of a well casing C in which the packer is installableand thus yieldably resist both rotational and longitudinal movement ofthe slip carrier in the well casing.

The slips are provided with external upwardly facing teeth or serrations87 engageable with the internal surfaces of the casing to prevent upwardmovement of the slips in the casing when the slips are moved radiallyoutwardly to their extended positions by the engagement of their arcuatecam surfaces 89 with the downwardly and outwardly extending arcuatesurfaces 90 of the bosses 91 on the upper ends of the resilient fingers92 of an expander 94. The lower end portion of the expander istelescoped in the upper enlarged portion 95 of the bore of a tubularlock sleeve 96. The locking sleeve has an internal annular recess 98 inwhich are received the latch bosses 99 of the fingers 92. The engagementof the top upwardly facing shoulders of the latch bosses 99 with theinternal annular downwardly facing shoulder of the lock sleeve definingthe upper end of the latch recess releasably holds the expander againstupward movement relative to the locking sleeve when the fingers are heldin their outer expanded positions by a wedge ring 101 disposed about themiddle main sleeve section. The expander and the wedge ring 101 arereleasably secured to one another by three pins 102a, 10212 and 102C andto the main sleeve section by the two shear pins 10211 and 1020 whichextend through suitable aligned apertures in the expander fingers, thewedge ring and the main sleeve section 82.

A packing assembly disposed on the main sleeve section 82 includes acoil 111 of a high temperature resistance sealing substance, such as anasbestos impregnated with a suitable sealing compound and expandableanti-extrusion rings 112 and 113. A tubular packing protector 115 isdisposed about the packing assembly 110 and about the lower reduced endportion 117 of the lock sleeve 96. Upward movement of the packingprotector relative to the main sleeve is limited by a plurality of dogs118 slidable in longitudinal slots 119 of the lock sleeve whose internalupwardly facing shoulders 120 engage the downwardly facing annularexternal shoulder 121 of a snap ring 122. The inner portions of the snapring are disposed in an external annular recess 124 of the main sleevesection 82 which is thus secured against longitudinal movement in themain sleeve. The dogs 118 are secured to the sleeve and to the snap ring122 by shear screws 126. The shear screws 126 shear to permit upwardmovement of the retainer ring, and therefore of the mandrel, relative tothe main sleeve when upward force is exerted on the main mandrel whilethe dogs are held against upward movement. The heads of the screwsextend into the enlarged outer portions of the apertures of the dogs andensure that the screws will not shear between the dogs and the packingprotector 115.

The middle main sleeve section 82, whose upper end portion is threadedin the lower end portion 130 of the latch main sleeve section 36, has areduced lower end portion 131 telescoped in an expander section 132 ofthe main sleeve and releasably secured thereto by a plurality of shearscrews 133 which extend through suitable threaded apertures in theexpander sleeve section into suitable apertures of the middle mainsleeve section. Downward movement of the middle main sleeve sectionrelative to the expander sleeve section is limited by the engagement ofits external annular downwardly facing shoulder 134 with an upwardlyfacing top annular shoulder 135 of the expander sleeve section. A-plurality of balls 136 are disposed between the bottom end surface ofthe sleeve section 130 and the upwardly facing internal annular shoulder137 of the slip carrier 63 to facilitate the release of the slip carrierfrom the main sleeve.

The expander sleeve section has an upwardly convergent frusto-conicalexpander surface 138 which radially expands when the main sleeve, thepacking assembly 110 and the packing protector and the locking sleeve 96move upwardly relative to the packing assembly 110.

The main sleeve also includes a bottom or slip carrier section 138 whoseupper reduced end portion 141 is threaded in the lower end portion 142of enlarged internal diameter of the bore of the expander sleeve section132. A plurality of slips 144 are carried by the bottom main sleevesection and are held in their retracted positions by a resilient splitretainer ring 145 which is disposed in their aligned external recesses146. The upward movement of the slips on the bottom sleeve section islimited by the engagement of their lower internal flanges or hooks 148with the annular bottom shoulder or surface of the external annularflange 149 of the bottom sleeve section. Downward movement of the slipson the inner sleeve is limited by the engagement of their bottom endshoulders or surfaces with an upwardly facing annular shoulder 151 ofthe bottom sleeve section. The slips have arcuate upwardly and outwardlyinclined cam shoulders or surfaces 152 which are cngagcable by thet'rusto-conical expander or cam surface 154 of a tubular expander 155disposed about the sleeve and releasably secured thereto by a pluralityof shear pins 157 which extend through suitable aligned apertures in theexpander 155 and the expander sleeve section 132.

The slips have downwardly facing teeth or serrations 158 which areadapted to engage or bite into the internal surfaces of the well casingwhen the slips are moved outwardly to their expanded positions toprevent downward movement of the slips. Downward movement of the mainsleeve relative to the expander is prevented by a plurality of latchmembers 160 which are segments of a ring, whose internal surfaces haveupwardly facing teeth or serrations 161, and whose outer inwardlydownwardly convergent surfaces 162 engage the downwardly and inwardlyinclined annular carn surface 164 of the expander. The latch segments161 are biased toward wedging engagement with the bottom main sleevesection 133 and the expander 155 by a spring 16-7 whose bottom endengages the top surfaces of the wedge segments and whose top end engagesan internal downwardly facing annular shoulder 168 of the expander 155.A seal assembly 170 which seals between the bottom sleeve section 14-0and the middle mandrel section 23 includes an upper bearing ring 171which is engageable with the downwardly facing annular shoulder 172 ofthe bottom sleeve section to limit upward movement of the assemblyrelative to the bottom sleeve section, an upper anti-extrusion ring 173,a plurality of expansible annular sealing elements 174, a lowerantiextrusion ring 175 and a lower bearing ring 176. The packing islongitudinally compressible by a tubular compressor 178 whose top endshoulder or surface 179 engages the bottom surface of the lower bearingring. The compressor has external threads 180 which are engageable withthe internal threads 182 of the bottom sleeve section. A nylon wedge orslug ring 184 is secured in a suitable recess of the compressor and hasan outer end portion which wedges between the threads of the compressorand the bottom sleeve section 140 to resist rotation of the compressor.A vent port 186 is provided in the compressor above its threads topermit escape of any fluid which may be trapped between the packingcompressor and the bottom sleeve section below the seal assembly andabove the threads.

The packing compressor has a plurality of circumferentially spaceddependent clutch teeth 190 which are adapted to mesh with similarupwardly extending circumferentially spaced clutch teeth 191 of thebottom mandrel section 24 so that the seal assembly 17%) may becompressed by rotating the mandrel when the clutch teeth 190 and 191 arein meshed relationship.

The well packer is particularly adapted for use in well installationswherein the string of tubing, to which the packer mandrel is connectedand of which it constitutes a section, is to be subjected to appreciablechanges in temperature which cause the length of the tubing to varyappreciably due to expansion and compression, as for example, in wellswhere steam injection operations are to be performed, and it istherefore desirable that the packer mandrel be free to move relative tothe main sleeve 35 and the packing assembly 110' as such changes in thelength of the tubing occur.

When the packer is to be installed in a well, the op posite ends of themandrel are connected to the upper and lower tubing sections 27 and 29,and the various elements of the packer are connected to one another inthe positions illustrated in FIGURES 1, 1A and 1B, wherein the upper andlower slips are held in their retracted positions and the packingprotector 115 is telescoped over the packing assembly 110. As the packeris inserted into the upper end of the well casing and the drag springs84 move into the casing, their middle arcuate portions 86 are flexedresiliently inwardly and thereafter frictionally engage the internalsurfaces of the well casing as the packing is lowered therethrough. Whenthe packer is moved to the location in the casing where it is desiredthat it be anchored and set, the upper end of the string of tubing atthe surface, and therefore the mandrel 21 is rotated in a clockwisedirection, as seen from above, the engagement of the vertical surfaces56 of the top mandrel section at its J-slots with the side shoulders 55of the lugs 50 causes rotation of the main sleeve with the mandrelrelative to the slip carrier 63 since the rotation of the slip carrieris resisted by the drag springs which are in frictional engagement withthe internal surfaces of the casing. Such rotation of the main sleeverelative to the slip carrier now causes the slip carrier to movedownwardly on the main sleeve as its threaded portion 64 is unscrewedfrom the threaded portion 65 of the top main sleeve section 26 since theupward movement of the main sleeve on the mandrel is limited by theengagement of the main sleeve shoulder 37 with the mandrel shoulder 38.When the threaded portion 64 of the sleeve carrier is disengaged fromthe threaded portion 65 of the top sleeve section 36, the string oftubing is moved upwardly at the surface moves the mandrel upwardlyrelative to the main sleeve 35 until the mandrel shoulder 40 engages theretainer ring 41 if it is not already in engagement therewith. The mainsleeve then moves upwardly with the mandrel relative to the slip carrier63 and the slips 68. This upward movement of the main sleeve with themandrel causes the cam shoulders of the expander 96 to move intoengagement with the cam shoulders or surfaces 89 of the upper slips 68and since upward movement of the slip carrier and the slips is resistedby the drag springs, the slips are moved radially outwardly from theirretracted positions illustrated in FIGURE 1 to their expanded positionsillustrated in FIGURE 6-A. The upwardly facing teeth 87 of the upperslips engage the internal surfaces of the well casing and hold the slipagainst further outward and upward movement in the casing. When theradially outward movement of the slips is thus arrested, upward movementof the expander and the locking sleeve 96 is arrested. As the upwardmovement of the tubing string and the mandrel is continued, the twoshear pins 1032b and 1020 shear between the mandrel and the wedge ringpermitting upward movement of the mandrel relative to the expander 94and the locking sleeve 96. The wedge ring is still secured to theexpander since a greater force is necessary to shear the three shearpins 102 be tween the expander and the wedge ring than that required toshear only the two shear pins 102b and 1020 between the mandrel and thewedge ring.

The packing assembly is now held against upward movement with the mainsleeve since the bottom end shoulder of the locking sleeve 96 engagesthe upper antiextrusion ring 112 of the packing assembly 110. The dogs118 remain connected to the retainer ring 122 thus causing the packingprotector to move upwardly with the main sleeve. As the packingprotector 115 thus moves upwardly and progressively out of telescopedposition over the packing assembly, the frusto-conical expander surface133 of the expander main sleeve section 132 moves into and through thepacking assembly and expands it radially outwardly toward sealingengagement with the internal surfaces of the casing. The lower end ofthe locking sleeve and of the packing protector moves above the upperantiextrusion ring 112 of the packing assembly 110. When after thebottom end of the locking sleeve moves above the upper anti-extrusionring 112, the top surfaces of the dogs 118 move into engagement with thedownwardly facing shoulders 195 of the locking sleeve defining the topends of its longitudinal slots 119 whereupon further upward movement ofthe dogs and of the packing protector 115 is arrested. The shear screws128 then shear to permit upward movement of the main sleeve and, as itmoves upwardly with the mandrel relative to the packing assembly whichis disposed about the expander main sleeve section 132 below its conicalsurface 138, the top annular shoulder 197 of the expander moves intoengagement with the lower anti-extrusion ring 113. Continued upwardmovement of the main sleeve now longitudinally compresses the packingassembly and causes it to expand furthcr radially into sealingengagement with the expander main sleeve section 132 and the internalsurfaces of the well casing. The anti-extrusion rings being of asomewhat harder substance than the packing element 111 bridge theannular gaps between the well casing and the packing protector and theexpander 155 to prevent extrusion of the softer element 111therethrough.

When the packing assembly is fully compressed, the expander 155 is heldagainst further upward movement and the shear pins 157 shear to permitfurther upward movement of the main sleeve relative to the expander 155.The main sleeve together with the lower slips 144 is thus moved upwardlyrelative to the expander 155, the split ring 145 resiliently enlargingor opening to permit the radial outward movement of the slips as theyare moved radially outwardly due to the camming engagement of theirinternal cam surfaces 152 with the expander or cam surface 154 of theexpander 155. Upward movement of the mandrel and the main sleeve iscontinued until the outward movement is arrested by the casing of theslips and the engagement of their bottom end shoulders with the shoulder151 of the bottom mandrel section prevents further upward movement ofthe main sleeve. The gripping engagement of the downwardly facing teeth158 of the slips with the casing now prevents downward movement of theslips in the casing. Continued upward movement of the string of tubingand the main mandrel now causes the shear screws 42 to shear and theretainer ring moves upwardly with the main mandrel out of the top mainmandrel section 36 to permit such upward movement of the mandrelrelative to the main sleeve.

The main mandrel may be moved upwardly relative to the main sleeve sincethe downwardly opening vertical legs 58 of the J-slots are in alignmentwith the lugs 50.

The main sleeve now is held against movement in the casing due to theengagement of the upwardly facing teeth 87 of the upper slips 68 and thedownwardly facing teeth 158 of the lower slips 144 with the well casingsince the slips hold the two expanders 94 and 155 against movement awayfrom each, upward movement of the main sleeve is now prevented by thelower slips and its downward movement is prevented by the latch lugs160. The packing assembly is of course held in longitudinally compressedand radially expanded sealing positions by the expanders.

The inner seal assembly 170 now seals between the main mandrel and themain sleeve so that no fluids may flow upwardly exteriorly of the mainmandrel. The mandrel may be moved upwardly a sufficient distance topermit the tubing to move longitudinally as required due to itscontraction and expansion with changes in temperature, the middlemandrel section 23 sliding past the seal assembly 170. If the sealbetween the main sleeve and the mandrel provided by the seal assemblybegins to fail due to wear of the seal assembly due to such movement ofthe mandrel relative thereto, the string of tubing in the mandrel arelifted until the clutch teeth 191 of the bottom mandrel section meshwith the clutch teeth 190 of the seal assembly compressor 178 whereuponrotation of the string of tubing at the surface also causes rotation ofthe compressor 178 and its upward movement into the bottom mandrelsection to compress further the seal assembly and move it into sealright relationship with the mandrel section 23 and the bottom mainsleeve section 138.

It will thus be apparent that the seal assembly 170, which is subjectedto wear due to the movement of the mandrel section 23 relative to themain sleeve which is rigidly secured to the well casing, may be furthercompressed as required whenever it begins to fail to seal properlybetween the main mandrel and the main sleeve.

Should it thereafter be desired to remove the packer from the wellcasing, the string of tubing is lowered in the well and rotated asrequired to cause the downwardly opening vertical leg portions 58 of theI-slots 51 to move into alignment with the lugs of the top main sleevesection 36, whereupon the tubing and the mandrel is lowered furtherthrough the main sleeve until the mandrel shoulder 38 engages theupwardly facing shoulder 37 of the main sleeve. A counterclockwiserotation (figure) is then imparted to the string of tubing and themandrel to cause the lugs 50 to be positioned in the horizontal portions52 of the J-slots. Upward movement then imparted to the string of tubingand the main mandrel causes the upwardly facing surfaces 59 of the topmandrel section at its J- slots to engage the bottom surfaces 60 of thelugs 50. Further upward movement then imparted to the string of tubingand the mandrel causes an upward force to be exerted on the main sleeveand the shearing of the screws 133 so that the top main sleeve sectionand the middle main sleeve section 82 are moved upwardly with themandrel.

The ring 122 moves upwardly with the main sleeve relative to theexpander 94 which is held against upward movement by the upper slips andits top annular surface engages the bottom surface of the wedge ring101. The shear pins 102 then shear to permit the wedge ring to be movedupwardly with the main sleeve section 82 and out of engagement with theinternal surfaces of the fingers 92 of the expander 94. When the rings122 and 101 move above the upper ends of the fingers, the fingers arefreed to flex resiliently inwardly to permit the lower ends of the slips68 to be moved radially inwardly by the drag springs 84. As the upwardmovement of the mandrel 21 and the top and middle main sleeve sections36 and 82 continues, the wedge ring 101 and the ring 122 move upwardlyabove the top end of the expander 94 until the top end surface of thewedge ring engages the downwardly facing surfaces of the top end flangesof the slips 68. Thereafter, the slips and the slip carrier 63 moveupwardly with the mandrel above the expander 94, as shown in FIGURES 9and 9A. As the slips and the slip carrier move upwardly with themandrel, the packing assembly retracts radially and expands resilientlylongitudinally since the locking sleeve 96 of the expander 94 are nowfreed to move upwardy and are moved upwardly by the resilient force ofthe packing assembly. Continued upward movement of the string of tubingand the main mandrel, then brings the bottom or clutch section 24 of themandrel into engagement with the tubular compressor 178. The bottom slipcarrier section 138 of the main sleeve, the lower slips 144, the lowerexpander 155, the main sleeve section 132, the packing assembly 110 andthe locking sleeve 96 now have an upward force exerted thereon whichcauses them to move upwardly. The downwardly facing teeth 158 of thelower slips 144 slide along the internal surfaces of the well casing topermit such upward movement of the slips even though the slips are heldagainst radial retraction by the expander 155. The components of thepacker are now in the positions illustrated in FIGURES 9 and 9A and maybe removed with the string of tubing from the well casing.

It will now be seen that the well packer 20 includes an elongate tubularmandrel 21 which is connectable in a flow conductor to constitute asection thereof, a main sleeve 35 disposed about the mandrel and havingexternal seal and anchoring means, which are the upper and lower slips680 and 144, their expanders 94 and and the packing assembly 110 whichanchors the mandrel against movement in either longitudinal direction inthe well casing and seals between the main sleeve and the well casing, aseal assembly which seals between main sleeve and the mandrel, and meanssuch as the compressor 178 and the clutch teeth 191 for compressing theseal assembly upon upward and then rotational movement of the mainmandrel relative to the main. sleeve.

It will further be seen that the mandrel and the main sleeve areprovided with co-engugeable means, such as the mandrel shoulder 40, thering 41 and the shear screws 42 which release the mandrel for upwardmovement relative to the main sleeve after the seal and anchoring meanscarried by the sleeve has been set in anchoring and sealing position toan intermediate position wherein the mandrel is free to movelongitudinally relative to the main sleeve.

It will further be seen that the length of the mandrel is considerablygreater than the length of the main sleeve so that the mandrel may movelongitudinally relative to the main sleeve when it is in suchintermediate position as required due to the elongation and contractionof the string of tubing in which the main mandrel is connected.

It will further be seen that the packer includes means, such as theJ-slots 51 and the lugs 50 which permit reconnection of the mandrel tothe main sleeve section 36 when it is desired to remove the packer, inorder that subsequent upward movement of the mandrel result first in therelease of the upper slips for movement to their retracted positions andtheir upward movement from their expander 94.

The foregoing description of the invention is explanatory only, andchanges in the details of the construction illustrated may be made bythose skilled in the art, within the scope of the appended claims,without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What is claimed and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. A well packer including: a tubular mandrel connectable in a flowconductor to constitute a section thereof; a sleeve disposed about saidmandrel, said sleeve and said mandrel having means for securing saidsleeve in a predetermined intermediate longitudinal position on saidmandrel releasable upon predetermined longitudinal and rotationalmovement of said mandrel relative to said sleeve for permitting upwardmovement of said mandrel relative to said sleeve; radially expandableanchoring and sealing means carried by said sleeve for sealing betweensaid sleeve and a well casing comprising upper and lower anchor meansand a sealing means disposed between said anchor means; seal means forsealing between said mandrel and said sleeve; and means operable by saidmandrel for increasing the force of sealing engagement of said sealmeans with said mandrel and said sleeve.

2. The well packer of claim 1 wherein said upper anchor means isreleasable upon predetermined rotational movement of said main sleeverelative to said anchor means for movement to its expanded position toengage a well casing and prevent upward movement of said sealing means,said sleeve having means for expanding said sealing means upon upwardmovement of said sleeve relative to said upper anchor means and saidsealing means, said lower anchor means being movable to expandedposition to prevent downward movement of said seal means upon upwardmovement of said sleeve when said sealing means is in expanded position.

3. The well packer of claim 2 wherein said main sleeve includes an upperportion and a lower portion, said upper portion being releasable fromsaid lower portion for upward movement relative to said lower portionthereof, said upper anchor means being released for movement toretracted position upon predetermined upward movement of said upperportion of said sleeve relative to said upper anchor means.

4. The well packer of claim 3, and protector means releasably secured tosaid sleeve and initially disposed about said sealing means, saidprotector means being movable to inoperative position to permit radialexpansion of said sealing means.

5. A well packer including: a tubular mandrel connected to a flowconductor to constitute a section thereof; a sleeve disposed about saidmandrel, said sleeve and said mandrel having coengageable meansreleasably securing said sleeve in a predetermined intermediatelongitudinal position on said mandrel, said coengageable means beingreleasable upon predetermined longitudinal and rotational movement ofsaid mandrel relative to said sleeve to permit upward movement of saidmandrel relative to said sleeve; upper anchor means carried by saidsleeve movable to radially expanded position upon longitudinal upwardmovement of said sleeve relative to said upper anchor means; sealingmeans carried by said sleeve below said upper anchor means, said sleevecomprising expander means for radially expanding said sealing means uponupward movement of said sleeve relative to said upper anchor means;lower anchor means carried by said sleeve below said expander meansmovable radially outwardly to expanded position; seal means sealingbetween said mandrel and said sleeve; compressor means secured to saidsleeve for compressing said seal means between said mandrel and saidsleeve when said compressor means is rotated in a predetermineddirection relative to said sleeve, said compressor means and saidmandrel having means coengageable when said mandrel is moved to anuppermost position relative to said sleeve for causing rotation of saidcompressor means to rotate with said mandrel.

6. The well packer of claim 5, and means preventing downward movement ofsaid sleeve relative to said lower anchor means.

7. The well packer of claim 5, wherein said upper anchor means comprisesa slip carrier on said sleeve, said slip carrier and said sleeve havingmeans holding said carrier in an upper position on said sleevereleasable to permit upward movement of said sleeve relative to saidslip carrier upon rotation of said sleeve relative to said slip carrier,drag means extending radially outwardly of said slip carrier, upperslips carried by said slip carrier and movable radially outwardly, andan upper slip expander means movable upwardly with said mandrel relativeto said upper slips for moving said upper slips radially outwardly, saidupper slip expander means limiting upward movement of said sealingmeans.

8. The well packer of claim 7, wherein said lower anchor means comprisesradially outwardly movable lower slips on said sleeve, lower slipexpander means for moving said lower slips radially outwardly uponupward movement of said lower slips and said sleeve relative to saidlower slip expander means, said lower slip expander means engaging thelower end of said sealing means whereby said sealing means islongitudinally compressible between said upper and lower slip expandermeans.

9. The well packer of claim 8, and means preventing downward movement ofsaid mandrel relative to said lower slip expander means.

10. The well packer of claim 9, wherein said sleeve has upper and lowersections releasably secured to one another above said expander means,said upper section and said upper slip expander means having meanscoengageable upon upward movement of said upper section relative to saidlower section for releasing said upper slip expander means from positionholding said upper slips in expanded position.

11. The well packer of claim 7, and a tubular protector disposed aboutsaid sealing means and secured to said mandrel for upward movement withsaid mandrel to position above said sealing means.

12. The well packer of claim 11, wherein said lower anchor meanscomprises radially outwardly movable lower slips on said sleeve, lowerslip expander means for moving said lower slips radially outwardly uponupward movement of said lower slips and said sleeve relative to saidlower slip expander means, said lower slip expander means engaging thelower end of said sealing means whereby said sealing means islongitudinally compressible between said upper and lower slip expandermeans.

13. The well packer of claim 12, and means preventing downward movementof said mandrel relative to said lower slip expander means.

14. The well packer of claim 13, wherein said sleeve has upper and lowersections releasably secured to one another above said expander means,said upper section 11 12 and said upper slip expander means having meansco- 2,929,453 3/1960 Conrad 166134 engageable upon upward movement ofsaid upper sec- 2 993 073 19 1 Clark et 1 1 tion relative to said lowersection for releasing said upper 3,109,490 11/1963 Baker X sllipexpanderdgeans fifrom position holding said upper 3,131,764 5/1964 Museet aL 166 123 P051 5 3,256,437 6/1966 Muse 166-139 References CitedUNITED STATES PATENTS CHARLES E. OCONNELL, Primary Exammer.

2,837,166 6/1958 Breaux 166 123 X DAVID BROWNEXamiIwP- 2,906,344 9/1959Clark 166140l0

